Academy unearths football talents in Brong Ahafo

Sunyani, (B/A) Aug. 16, GNA - A two-day colts football fiesta organised by 'Right to Dream' Football Academy in partnership with Vodafone, Ghana, ended at the Sunyani Coronation Park on Sunday.

Young Goldfields won the Under-12 group with Eleven Lions emerging the winner in the Under-14 division.

For their prizes Goldfields received GHC 200 whilst each player took a Vodafone T-shirt and GH5 credit card.

Young Kotoko, the Under-14 runner's-up took away GHC 100 cash and GHC5 credit card and a Vodafone polo T-shirt for each player, whilst Abibiman FC Under-12 side who were the runners up collected similar items as their prize.

Thirty-two Under-12 and Under-14 selected teams in the Brong-Ahafo Region took part in the justify-your-inclusion competition that was aimed at selecting a player from each age group to represent the Region.

Mr Gordon Wellu, Media Relations officer of Vodafone said the selected players whose names were not disclosed would be trained at Akrade near Akosombo in the Eastern Region.

He said the exercise was in support of the Academy's plan of offering opportunities to talented but deprived young footballers to fulfil their true potential in sports and education.

The competition started with an elimination series and ended with Sunyani Young Goldfields beating Chiraa Abibiman FC 3-2 on penalties in the finals of the Under-12 group, while Eleven Lions beat Young Kotoko 2-0 also on penalties in the Under-14 group.

Mr Wellu told GNA Sports that the Academy, which was established in 1999 has so far supported 80 exceptionally talented children in the country to develop their football talents.

He said Vodafone entered a three-year partnership with the Academy this year as part of its social responsibility to support the development of sports at the colts' level.

Master Yakubu Seidu of Liverpool FC emerged the overall Best Player of the tournament in the Under-12 division and was presented with a mobile phone, GHC 5 units of credit, a Polo Vodafone T-shirt as his prize, whilst in the Under-14 category, Master Samuel Ado of Eleven Lions was adjudged the Best Player and also received a similar package.

The Media Relations officer said after Brong-Ahafo event, the programme would move to Bolgatanga, Koforidua, Ho, Kumasi and hope to cover all the Regions by the end of December.

At the end of the competitions, prizes ranging from Vodafone SIM cards, chips, mobile phones and undisclosed sums of money were presented to deserving players and coaches.